Louisiana family getting kids ready finds a 9-foot alligator waiting by the front door

A Monroe, Louisiana family started Tuesday with an unwelcome surprise after a 9-foot alligator appeared outside their home, in an incident first reported by KNOE.

What happened?

According to KNOE, neighbors watched as professionals captured the 9-foot alligator at the home in Monroe, Louisiana, on Tuesday morning. No one was hurt.

KNOE has since shared the footage of the capture, which showed the gator performing a death roll in the yard.

John Nix, who owns the home, said the discovery came while the family was in the middle of its usual morning routine.

He told the outlet, "Well I'm just getting my kids ready for soccer camp and cadet academy and my dad came in and said you need call 9-1-1 and tell him there's an alligator in the yard and I said why and he said because there's an alligator in the yard."

Nix added, "And I go out there and look and there's ol' big boy there right there by my front door."

Encounters like this are not unheard of in parts of the South, where people and large reptiles are increasingly sharing space. But that didn't make it less shocking for the Nix family, especially because they have children, who are more vulnerable to predators like gators.

Why does it matter?

As neighborhoods expand into wetland and marsh habitats, people are more likely to cross paths with animals that have long lived there. And when natural habitat shrinks or shifts, wildlife does not simply disappear. Sometimes, it turns up in driveways, yards, and right by the front steps.

This may not have been a case of either, though. Often, in Louisiana, gators will explore residential neighborhoods in search of food.

For residents living in alligator country, the safest move is never to approach, feed, or try to scare off a gator yourself. 

Wildlife officials generally recommend keeping children and pets inside, staying a wide distance away, and calling local authorities or wildlife professionals if a gator is lingering near a home.

There are also simple ways to reduce the odds of future run-ins. Avoid leaving pet food outside, stay alert near drainage ditches and ponds, and never feed wild animals, which can make them less fearful of people.

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.